Gnome Grown

Americans love their lawns just as much as they love their homes. They plan them, mow them, blow them, water them, fertilize them, plant and replant them. In short, Americans spend loads of energy getting their lawn to fit their idea of perfection. This energy use comes at a price, which is increasing as energy demands soar, water is scarce, and pesticides and fertilizers are found in our groundwater, air and food. In this collaborative project, we aimed to educate the lawn-owning public about their favorite home decoration with one of our favorite lawn decorations, the garden gnome. The "Giant Gnome" resides in the exhibition space, while the other gnomes are hidden around the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.